The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

18. Prayer to bee said by a household at night.

Oh Lord God our heauenly Father, to whom all glorie and praise belongeth, we know that thy people of Israel did euerie day euening and morning sacrifice vnto thee, as a thankesgiuing for their rest, and of reconciliation with thee their God. But the true Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world, all figures being accomplished, hath taught vs in the Gospel, that a contrite and humble heart of a Christian, is a sacrifice pleasing vnto thee. Therefore in all humilitie and reuerence, we present our selues before thy face, giuing thee thankes, that it hath pleased thee to giue vs grace to passe this day vnder thy prote∣ction and safegard. Beseeching thee not to enter into iudgement with vs, nor to call vs thy creatures and poore wormes of the earth to account for our actions this day past: For wee haue offended thee many waies, and whensoeuer wee examine our consciences, they make vs culpable of death and damnation in hell: but as the childe hath recourse vnto the father, and the seruant to his master; so wee humble our selues before thee, O Lord, which art slow to anger, and of great compassion. May it please thee, O Lord, by thy great boun∣tie and clemencie, to pardon our faults, and to couer them before thy face, with the righte∣ousnesse of thy beloued Sonne, to the end, that as all things are now couered to our eies, by the darknesse of the night, for the rest of our bodies, so our soules may take their rest in our onely Sauiour Iesus Christ.

Lord we know that Sathan compasseth vs about, like a roaring lion, that he is the Prince of darkenes, and seeketh to make a breach in our hearts, when we thinke not on him. But thou art the defence of Israel, which neuer sleepest, and that if thou beest with vs, who can be against vs? It is thou Oh Lord, that hath legions of Angels for the protection of those whom thou hast elected: we beleeue and hope that we are of that number, by the mercie which it hath pleased thee to shew vnto vs. Giue vs grace we beseech thee this night to rest in peace, defend vs from all temptations, and pollutions, from all troublesome dreames and nightlie vnquietnes, & preserue vs from all dangers that our bodies, by thy ordinance (O Lord) taking and receiuing quiet sleep, our spirits also may alwaies watch vnto thee, for the glorie of thy holie name, that so rising the next morning, we may be so much the better disposed to acknowledge thy bountie, and to glorifie thee as long as wee liue. For that in such maner going on with our course of life in Iesus Christ, we may with ioy of the holie Ghost, attend the happie, & most desired rest of life eternal, which is kept for vs in heauen, to enioie the same, after the sweet rest, which shal be giuen vs in our graues, when the Angel at the latter daie shall sound the trumpet to call vs into iudgement. But in the meane while that we comfort our selues with the expectation of that glorious resurrection, we recōmend vnto thee, Oh heauēly Father, the peace & preseruatiō of thy Church, the state of this realme,

and all persons afflicted with any kinde of sicknesse, and tribulations, praying thee to giue vnto thy children and seruants that which thou knowest to be necessarie for them, that thy benignitie may shine and be seene in the middle of those that call vpon thy name, and haue their hope in thee. Heare vs, O Lord, for the loue of thy deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ, in whose name we pray vnto thee as he hath taught vs, saying: Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed bee thy name, &c.